Letting Your Home

We provide a complete service for our clients, whether based in the UK or overseas. This can include presentation of the property to achieve maximum rental, taking up references, preparing Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements, collecting rent and full management of your property.

The main areas covered within our lettings portfolio are:

  • East Sheen
  • Mortlake
  • Barnes

The Rental Department is administered by our team who are all professionally qualified, being members of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), and will be able to advise you on all aspects of letting your property, including:

  • Preparing your property for letting
  • Letting procedure/landlord security
  • Tax implications/accounting

Residential letting has seen increasing favour with the public in recent years and can make sound commercial sense if handled professionally. The 1988 Housing Act simplified the law relating to rented accommodation allowing landlords to be confident of regaining possession of their property, whilst in many cases, securing good rental yields.

However, renting your property can be problematical if not correctly handled by the appointed agent. At Dixon Porter, we take care to explain the potential pitfalls to both our landlords and tenants, and thus eliminate difficulties that may arise in the future. In addition, we try to determine the suitability of a tenant to our clients’ property, to ensure both parties’ expectations are met.

 

Current Legislation

The main points to consider when renting out a property, which are a legal requirement to provide, include:

  • An Energy Performance Certificate, which is valid for 10 years.
  • An annual Gas Safety Certificate for all gas appliances.
  • Furniture supplied must conform to the Fire & Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulation 1993.
  • Whilst there is currently no legislation in place for inspection of electrical installation or electrical appliances, you may feel you require this to be carried out.
  • Any landlord or agent holding a tenants deposit must be registered with The Tenancy Deposit Scheme. This is a government requirement for all holders of deposits. Dixon Porter is a member of The Dispute Service, one of the 3 approved bodies.